Inspired by My Father I Became an Entrepreneur

Biking with my Papi in San Diego

I read a story this morning that rounded up the comments of several entrepreneurs who had been directly inspired by their fathers to start their own businesses.

To honor my own father, Arturo Tiscareño, and to encourage you to do the same, here’s my tribute to my father’s creative, entrepreneurial spirit.

My father came to the USA alone in the 1960s. As a tailor, he worked for several owners of mens’ clothing stores in Los Angeles. He created clothing for Hollywood stars, including as I’ve heard many times, Ms. Doris Day. During my childhood in Colorado, he worked at different points in time at two different mens’ clothing stores I remember well to support our large family. Yet, what he wanted was to run his own shop.

At the age of 66, after spending a year bored with retirement (and missing the daily contact with the public), he and my mother Agustina opened their own little tailor shop in Spokane, Washington. This is where I was stationed at the time, flying as a military officer and aircraft navigator for the US Air Force. They had followed me up there to make this city their retirement home, to be near their oldest daughter.

I did their marketing and PR for the 14 years they grew their business. They stayed healthy, mentally active, and increased their social circle a bit every day.

Today, I run my own marketing and communications excellence firm and I just launched my first book at Stanford University (Latinnovating, showcasing Latino entrepreneurs and innovators in the green economy). I dedicated the book, in part, to my father, now 83 years old and still vibrant.

He and my mother finally did retire, when he was 81. They now spend their time traveling around the nation visiting their four children and eleven grandchildren. This includes three grand children in the Baltimore area where they will spend this Fathers Day. (I now live in California.)

Thank you Papi (and Mami too) for showing me the joy of building your own business.  I hope to be as successful and happy in my work as I saw you in yours! Felíz día de los Padres!